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How to use Qantas Frequent Flyer Points
Whether you want to redeem free flights, upgrades or gift cards, discover all the ways you can cash in your Qantas Frequent Flyer Points.
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Qantas Frequent Flyers aren’t short of ways to spend their points. From flights and holiday packages to car hire and products from the Qantas Store, this guide takes you through all of the different ways you can spend your Qantas Points and how you can get the most from your rewards.
How to use your Qantas Points
Flights
As a frequent flyer program, flights are the most obvious way to spend your Qantas Points. Read on to find out how you can use your points to redeem flights, upgrade existing flight bookings or use a combination of points and cash for your next trip.
Classic Flight Rewards
You can use your Qantas Points to fly almost anywhere with Qantas and its network of more than 50 partner airlines and affiliates. While there are many one-way, return and multi-destination Classic Flight Reward destinations available, these are subject to availability and you may need to be a little flexible with travel dates and flight times.
The number of points required will also depend on the fare class (for example, economy or business), destination, route and retail cost of the flight.
When browsing flights on the Qantas website, you can opt to search Classic Flight Rewards to compare available routes and the number of points you’ll need. But to give you an idea of how far your points could take you, we’ve provided a few examples below. Please note that we’ve given a few different domestic and international options, and we’ve varied the routes and fare classes to show you how the points cost can vary depending on these details.
| Fare class | Return/one way | Departure | Destination | Number of points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Return | Sydney, Canberra | Brisbane | 16,000 |
| Economy | Return | Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra | Darwin | 32,000 |
| Business | One way | Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra | Auckland | 36,000 |
| Business | Return | Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra | Hong Kong | 120,000 |
| Economy | One way | Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra | Dubai | 45,000 |
| Business | One way | Sydney | San Francisco | 96,000 |
| Business | Return | Adelaide, Hobart | Sydney | 48,000 |
| Economy | Return | Adelaide | Gold Coast | 19,200 |
| Economy | One way | Adelaide | Rome | 55,000 |
| Business | Return | Adelaide | Denpasar | 57,600 |
| Economy | Return | Adelaide | New York | 120,000 |
| Business | One way | Perth | Darwin | 36,000 |
| Economy | Return | Perth | Paris | 110,000 |
| Economy | One way | Perth, Darwin | Dublin | 55,000 |
| Economy | Return | Perth, Darwin | Christchurch | 45,000 |
| Economy | Return | Darwin | Los Angeles | 110,000 |
| Economy | Return | Hobart | Phuket | 70,000 |
| Business | One way | Hobart | Las Vegas | 96,000 |
Details sourced from the Qantas website and correct at the time of writing in August 2018.
It’s also important to note that additional taxes, fees and carrier charges may apply in addition to the points required.
Partnered airlines
While you can’t exchange your Qantas Points for frequent flyer points with another loyalty program, you can use your points to redeem flights with partnered airlines. You can redeem your points with airlines within the oneworld Alliance, including Jetstar, American Airlines, Emirates, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
Points plus pay
If you don’t have enough points to redeem your chosen Classic Flight Reward, you can opt to pay with a combination of points and cash using “points plus pay”. You need a minimum of 5,000 points for Qantas flights or 3,500 for Jetstar flights to use points plus pay.
Classic Upgrade Rewards
If you’ve already booked your flights but would prefer to fly in luxury, you can also use your points to upgrade an existing flight to a higher fare class. The number of points you’ll need for a Classic Upgrade Reward will depend on the fare class you’re upgrading to and the route of the flight. However, you can log into your frequent flyer account and manage your flights to request an upgrade and compare your options.
Qantas Club
The Qantas Club offers frequent flyer members unlimited access to the largest airline lounge network in Australia and overseas as well as exclusive check-in services and complimentary guest visits. The perks you can expect from your Qantas Club membership include:
- Lounge access. Members receive unlimited access to the Qantas Club, Qantas International Business as well as selected lounges when travelling with partnered airlines
- Guest visits. Members can invite one complimentary guest each time they travel.
- On Departure Upgrade Rewards. You can use your Qantas Points to upgrade domestic Classic Flight Rewards on departure.
- Additional checked baggage and priority check-in. You can take advantage of additional checked baggage when flying Economy and Premium Economy, plus you’ll receive priority check-in on Qantas flights.
- Qantas meeting rooms. You can save with discounts on Qantas meeting rooms in Australia.
These perks don’t come for free, but you could save on the costs if you use your Qantas Points to cover your membership fees. Compare your options below:
Individual membership
| Type of membership | Membership fees | Regular cost |
|---|---|---|
| One year | 78,000 points | $399 |
| Two years | 155,000 points | $980 |
| Four years | 285,000 points | $1,850 |
If you're not already a member, there's also a one-off 70,000 Qantas Points joining fee. This is valued at $399.
Partner membership
As long as you both reside at the same address, your spouse or partner can also take advantage of Qantas Club perks at a reduced rate.
| Type of membership | Membership fees | Regular cost |
|---|---|---|
| One year | 52,000 points | $360 |
| Two years | 89,000 points | $580 |
| Four years | 155,000 points | $1,150 |
A one-off 37,000 Qantas Points or $399 joining fee also applies to partner membership.
Qantas Store
If you don’t have enough points to redeem a flight or don’t have any travel plans coming up, you can also use your Qantas Points to redeem products from the Qantas Store. When you visit the online store, you can browse rewards by categories such as electronics, travel, homewares, fashion and beauty, food and wine as well as gift cards.
The number of points you’ll require will vary depending on the retail price of the product, but we’ve provided a few examples to show you the potential of your points.
| Product | Category | Number of points required |
|---|---|---|
| Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones II | Electronics | 87,150 points |
| Apple iPhone X 256GB | Electronics | 252,990 points (on sale from 281,000 points) |
| Fitbit Charge 2 Large | Sports and fitness | 62,410 points |
| Callaway Rogue Fairway Wood golf club | Sports and fitness | 77,430 points |
| Seiko men's watch | Fashion | 66,600 points |
| Pandora Signature Hoop Earrings | Fashion | 20,750 points |
| Gucci Bloom - 50ml Eau de Parfum Spray | Beauty | 28,260 points |
| Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer | Beauty | 81,150 points |
| $50 Netflix gift card | Gift cards | 16,800 points |
| $100 Westfield gift card | Gift cards | 21,970 points |
Details sourced from the Qantas Store and correct at the time of writing in August 2018.
Hotels
As well as flights, you can help save on travel costs by using your points to redeem accommodation. If you redeem your points for Classic Hotel Rewards, you’ll have over 200,000 choices to compare. Whether you want to cover the cost with points or points plus pay, you can compare options ranging from budget hotels to five-star luxury resorts in Australia and overseas. Some of the popular partnered hotels include Hyatt, Shangri La and Rydges. When comparing your options, look out for the “Classic Reward” symbol and choose to view the prices in points.
Luxury Escapes
You can also redeem your Qantas Points for lavish hotel stays with Luxury Escapes. If you haven't already, join Luxury Escapes and follow the prompts to link your Frequent Flyer and Luxury Escapes accounts. You'll then have the option of using Qantas Points for all or part of your eligible holiday booking. You'll even earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent, even if you're opting to pay with points.
Car hire
Whether you’re going on a road trip for the weekend or need a car for your overseas holiday, you can also use Qantas Points to cover the cost of car hire with Qantas’ car hire partners.
The number of points you’ll need will depend on the retail cost, but you can redeem your points to pay for vehicle rentals from Avis, Budget, Hertz or Thrifty in over 600 locations worldwide.
Use our guide on Qantas car rentals for more tips on earning and spending Qantas Points on car rentals.
Qantas Wine
If you prefer the finer things in life, you can turn your points into pinot by redeeming your Qantas Points for wine, spirits and gourmet food from the Qantas Wine online store.
If you want to use your Qantas Points to buy wine, look out for the “Classic Wine Rewards” logo when you’re browsing the online store. This is because you’ll receive exclusive discounts of up to 55% off when you buy a Classic Wine Reward using your points. Then when you’re checking out, you can select to pay with Qantas Points.
See our guide to Qantas Wine for more information on how to earn and redeem points on your next wine purchase as well as the latest bonus points offers to check out.
Qantas Insurance
While insurance is a grudge purchase for most of us, Qantas Insurance helps reward frequent flyers for protecting themselves. Whether you’re looking for health insurance or travel insurance, you can use your points to cover the cost.
The number of points will vary depending on your quote. If you have enough points to cover the cost of your premium, you’ll be offered the choice of paying with points at the checkout. Visit the Qantas website to get a quote and see if you have enough points to cover your insurance policy.
Auto rewards
If you want to make redeeming your points even more convenient, you can opt to automatically convert your Qantas Points to Woolworths eGift cards up to four times a year. Once it’s landed in your inbox, you can either print the eGift card or download it onto your phone to present at any participating Woolworths store or when shopping online to save at the checkout.
On 1 February, 1 May, 1 August and 1 November each year, Qantas totals up your points and emails you an eGift card depending on your points balance. You can compare the potential savings below:
| Value of the gift card | Number of points required |
|---|---|
| $5 | 750 points |
| $10 | 1,500 points |
| $15 | 2,250 points |
| $20 | 3,000 points |
If you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer, you’re not strapped for choices when deciding how to spend your hard-earned points. Some rewards will offer better value for your money though, so make sure to compare your options before you start spending!
Earn more points with Qantas Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
Pictures: Qantas/Shutterstock
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Ask an Expert
Which is better, to buy an economy fare from say Syd to LAX and use points to upgrade to business, or buy a business fare with points + pay and pay what the economy fare would’ve cost and the rest in points? If you take option A you may or may not get the upgrade and if you take option B you will, but which will cost the most points, assuming the cash payment is the same? Thanks.
Hi David,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
We have no means on our end to provide you an accurate answer on which would cost more points as well as how the upgrade would be done. It would be best to contact Qantas directly for a customer service representative to provide you with the answers you seek. Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Reggie
HI, how many frequent flyer points would i need for one adult to fly Adelaide- Perth and Perth – Melbourne
Hi Peter,
Thank you for leaving a question.
For 1 adult from Adelaide to Perth is 18000 points and from Perth to Melbourne it would be 18000 points as well. This would be an economy flight. In total for the trip it would be 36000 points. Additional taxes, fees and carrier charges are payable in addition to the points required, which will be disclosed to you at the time of booking. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
I want to bring my daughter and her family for a visit and was hoping to use my accumulated points for the flights. Do I need to be traveling with them to use my point to book there flights?
Hi Darrell,
Thanks for your inquiry.
No, you don’t have to be traveling with them for you to use your points. You can redeem your points by booking their tickets for one-way, return, or a complex set of flights) with Qantas or any of the participating airlines. The number of points required would vary based on the flight destination and other details. Under the parlance of the Qantas Frequent Flyer membership program, this is referred to as the ‘Classic Award’ option.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold
How many Frequent Flyer points will I need for two adults to fly return from Melbourne to Gold Coast?
Hi George!
Thanks for the inquiry.
For one adult, one return from Melbourne – Gold Coast and Gold Coast – Melbourne is 24,000 for economy. Therefore, you would need a total of 48,000.
Cheers,
Jonathan
How many points do I need for a hotel room in Melbourne
Hi Denise,
Thanks for your inquiry.
You can book a one-night stay in a Melbourne boutique hotel for $275 or 43,919 points. Click this link for more information on How to use your Frequent Flyer Points.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold
How many ff points do I need
1. Perth/Broome return
2. Perth/Darwin return.
Thanks
Hi Nick,
Thanks for your question.
You need the following points to claim your Classic Flight Rewards:
1. Perth/Broome return – 24,000 points (economy), 48,000 points (business class)
2. Perth/Darwin return – 36,000 points (economy), 72,000 points (business class)
For other destinations, you may use Qantas calculator here.
Cheers,
Anndy
Can my children 5 & 7 become frequent flyer members
Hello Susan,
Thank you for your question.
If you’re considering this type of strategy for your family, note that only children aged three and up are eligible to earn Qantas Points. For your additional reference you may want to check this article.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Harold
how many
qantas frequent flyer points do I need to fly Brisbane Perth return?
Hello Nick
Thanks for your question.
You can use the Qantas Points calculator on their website to estimate how many points you’ll need, though the amount may vary depending on the particular flight you choose. Based on their website calculator you would need 2,200 Qantas Points. Please note, when you’re booking your flight, you can choose to pay with points and it will show you how many points you need to redeem the flight before you check out.
I hope that helps.
Cheers,
Harold
I’m looking at a flight to bali from 5/11/17 to 12/11/17. The cost of the return flight is $859 as of today. I have 9000 frequent flyer points. Can I put these towards the cost of the return flight? If so, what will the flight cost be reduced to?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your question.
As a financial comparison service, we’re unable to confirm exactly what the cash price difference is once you use your points to redeem a portion of the flight. This will vary from flight to flight, so you might prefer to go through the booking process, nominating that you’d like to use Points Plus Pay and see how much you’ll need to pay in cash before processing the payment. You can do this on a few different flights to compare your options.
Cheers,
Sally
I am wanting to fly to Bali in Jan 2017 with my husband and 3 children. I currently have 27500 points, each other family member has 17500 points. I am about to fly return to PNG next week. I am aware that we need 20000 points each. Am I able to combine all our points through the family share and book for everyone. I have had trouble just booking a return flight, no details will come up? thanks
Hi Lea,
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately, Qantas doesn’t offer a family pooling system. Instead, you might need to transfer 2,500 Qantas Points to your children’s frequent flyer accounts so you can redeem the flights using their accumulated points.
You can use our guide on how to transfer your Qantas Frequent Flyer Points to family members for further information.
I hope this has helped.
Cheers,
Sally